Sealing compound



Patented June 24, 1930 UNITED sra'rs ALBERT M. COLEMAN, or BrtooKLInn; MASSACHUSETTS SEALING coMroUnn g No Drawing.

' This invention relates to scaling compounds and with regard to certain more specific features thereof to compounds adapted to prevent fluid escape through the screw threaded joints of pipe, tapered fittings, gaskets of flanged fittings and various types of connections in mechanical and oil refinery equipment.

Heretofore compositions have been pro- 1o posed in which graphite, either powdered or flaked, has been distributed in liquid vehicles such as oil, mineral or vegetable, molasses, glycerine or alum and soap solutions. These have each a limited applica- 15 tion, some being used for pipe lines carrying water but being unsuitable for gasoline, others being used for oils but unsuitable for alcohol or turpentine. None of them is adapted for general application to alargely as varied range of fluid carrying lines or containers. They have also proven unsatisfactory on account of dissolving into the pipe line and discoloring and impairing the purity of the pipe carrying fluid. Compositions involving molasses as a vehicle for graphite have been sold and used to some extent with generally favorable results, as the molasses tends to expand and set in the expanded condition under the influence of heat, making such a composition particularly' adaptable for sealing joints in boiler apparatus and the like. Molasses, however, is criticized for such use on several grounds. While molasses is adhesive to some extent,

it is essential that the parts of the joint to be treated should be thoroughly cleaned before applying the composition. It is almost universally the case that the operations of threading a pipe, for example, are accomt panied by the use of oil to facilitate the operation, and the result is a film of oil around the threads which must be cleaned away before the. molasses-graphite composition can be made to adhere. Molasses is .1. extracted from the cane under low heat treatment which leaves it, especially the low grade type used in such compositions, as a nal product full of bacteria, and therefore tending to ready fermentation and the creaa tion of destructive acids. This fermentation others and produce a sealin Application filed January 2, 1929. Serial No. 329,968.

creates difficulties in storage and transportation, inasmuch as exposure. to heat will cause bursting of the packagesor blowing of the covers. The acids created cause corrosion and pitting of the metal containers. and of the-joints on which the compound is used. To overcome these objections and. many compound which is essentially more e ective' than those previously known is the prime object of this invention. Other objects will bein part obvious and in part particularly. pointe ed out hereinafter. r

The present invention involves the j mix ture of graphite, preferably in powdered form, with corn syrup, sometimes designated as glucose, in such proportions that I the water content of the syrup maybe evaporated when the, compoundis used, leaving a. graphite distribution in."a1 'viscous or ;glutinous film, between the parts ofthe joint,.which film is-v distinctly resistant-to solubility by the fluid'within the pipe line or container even though the fluid be watenf, Corn'syrup, on account of its -highpdextroseucontent, is liighlyadhesive. It does not matter whether or not theparts of the joint have been cleaned prior to the treat v ment; the compound will adhereand thor-I oughly coat the. parts. The highly viscous syrup and the graphite body or filler drys even under normal or atmospheric temperatures to a viscousfilm which is suitable for i the effective sealing of so-called cold joints. In the'case of hot joints, the higher tern? peraturesjexpand the composition-by the generated steam and gases as'the water content of the-syrup is converted and passe'dofl'. This effectively. fills the 1 space between the united parts. An improved and highly effectivev product is provided in that it is adapted to seal, either hot or cold joints; in

that it is'sufliciently adhesive, to coat the parts, Whether dry and clean, or moist and dirty,-or oily; in that acid conditions are minimized, reducing liability of' corrosion;

and in that no discoloration of alcohol or turpentine takes place should any of the compound reach these fluidsin the container or pipe line. Owing to thefact'that corn syrup is in a sense a manufactured product, and owing to the high temperature processes employed in the manufacture, the syrup comes to the market generally considered as sterile. lVhile in the abstract it may be considered as a fermentable product, nevertheless when compounded according to the following example no difficulties have arisen on account of fermentation. There has been no bursting of packages, blowingoff of the covers of the cans, or pitting of metal, and this generally favorable condition exists although many thousands of cans have been placed upon the market without the addition of any preservative.

. Thegraphite, in addition to its service as a filler, prov-ides innumerable points of surface contact with the metal of the joint whereby its lubrical properties are effective to prevent sealing of the joint parts in such a way that they can not *be physically broken with ease when desired.

The following is an example of a preferred compound and manner of compounding. -To four pounds :by weight of corn syrup add three pounds of powdered graphite. 'Mix andkn'ead thoroughly by machine for approximately thirty minutes until the graphite is substantially evenly'distributed throughout the's yrup and the mass'is of a consistency of a putty. If desired, a-neutralizing agentsuch as lime, preferably airslacked, may be added, which should be in the quantity of about one-quarter of a pound for the above quantities of graphite and corn syrup. These proportions should'be varied 'according'to the grades of graphite and corn The terms corn-syrup or glucose used herein have particular reference to the well known product almost entirely made in this country from corn starch but made in other countries'from potato starch. It is intended, however, to include by these terms as used herein any starch reduced to sugar by acid treatment.

lVhat I claim is 1. A sealing compound comprising graphite thoroughly mixed with corn syrupas the main ingredients thereof.

2. A sealin compound comprising-graphite thoroughly mixed with corn syrup in approximately the proportions of three parts of graphite to four parts of corn syrup.

3. A sealing compound comprising graphits and corn syrup which dries in the form of a viscous film at temperatures below two hundred and twelve degrees (212) Fahrenheit and expands andhardens at temperatures above two hundred and twelve degrees (212) Fahrenheit.

5. A sealing compound comprising graphlte thoroughly mixed with corn syrup and a small quantity of lime.

ALBERT M. COLEMAN. 

